With all the talk of monumental mortgage losses in 2007, it would be easy to assume it was a bad year for corporate earnings, but that wasn't the case for all companies. Which firm made a total annual profit of $40.6 billion ($1,300 per second) in 2007 -- the most ever for a U.S. company?

A.)  Wal-Mart (WMT)
B.)  ExxonMobil (XOM)
C.)  Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-B)
D.)  Microsoft (MSFT)
E.)  ConocoPhilips (COP) 

Published: March 2, 2008

The correct answer is      (B.)  ExxonMobil

That's right, ExxonMobil brought in record profits of $1,300 per second last year. The firm's profits -- attributed to "strong results in all business segments" -- were larger than the GDP of over 60% of the countries in the world, and its revenues of $300 billion were only surpassed by the GDPs of the richest 27 countries. Meanwhile, the firm currently trades with a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of only 12.

It's no surprise then that P/E-based funds, like the WisdomTree Low P/E Index Fund (AMEX: EZY), weigh ExxonMobil particularly heavy in their portfolios.

The fund begins with the most prodigious earnings generators in the large-cap universe and then only selects those with the lowest P/E ratios in the group. Overall, EZY's diversified portfolio of nearly 700 stocks sports a compelling average P/E of just 11 and offers an above-average yield of 2.6%. More importantly, backtested data shows shareholders would have seen outsized gains of +11.9% annually over the past five years.

The WisdomTree Low P/E Index Fund is just one example of the quality finds ETF Authority editor Nathan Slaughter is considering adding to his actively managed portfolios. To learn more about The ETF Authority newsletter, and to learn all about the funds Nathan is looking to add right now, please visit this link.

Want to answer more trivia questions? Visit our archives here!



The Hidden "Wholesale" Market Where Gold Sells for $418/oz
Traditionally this type of gold investment sells at a lofty premium to gold bullion. But right now it's on sale for -68% cheaper. Market distortions like this never last. When this gold investment snaps back in line with bullion, owners could make a lot of money in a hurry. Details here.
 
FREE six times a week, our newsletter contains actionable investment ideas from today's leading market analysts.




The Next 437 Banks That Could Fail

There are 7,830 banks in the United States -- and 437 are in immediate danger of failing.

If you have cash in any of these banks your savings could be at risk.
 



The Best Stocks to Hold Forever

Few people realize these stocks even exist.

But many of the richest, most successful investors, politicians and businessmen have been quietly cashing in on them for decades

Here's how you can too...

Meet the Experts    Newsletters    Special Offers    Email Preferences    FAQ
About Us    Advertise    Privacy    Disclaimer    Help    Terms of Use


TopStockAnalysts button StreetAuthority button Dividend Opportunities button

(c) Copyright 2001-2010 TopStockAnalysts.com -- All Rights Reserved